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KC Royals Stormy Beginning Could Be Cultural

By Ed Connealy |

Sometimes when I watch Yordano Ventura, I ask myself.  “Why is he so mad?”  He’s been described as having an edge, and having swagger. There seems to be more pushing him than those clichéd labels.  Why is he so mad?  I am willing to take a guess.

Much if his problem is self inflicted.  Ventura is immature, and not handling his new money and title as the KC Royals ace well.  However, I think some of his angst may be a reaction to the cultural tension that’s fault lines are rocking MLB and America.  The Latino population in American and MLB is exploding.  This change, like all change, is  making some people uncomfortable.

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There are more and more places in the States where everyone is speaking Spanish, and listening to salsa.  This may not be the case where the most rich and powerful of business go to work, but it certainly is the case in MLB dugouts.  The mainstream culture of American and pop culture is still quite white.  That’s going to change, and you can see that movie’s sneak preview on the baseball diamond.

Many of baseball’s best players are Latino.  When any “minority” ceases to be the population minority, but feels they are the cultural subordinate, things get stirred up.  This isn’t just some liberal part time writer’s take.  Read this column by former big league pitcher, Dirk Hayhurst.  We are about to see a tipping point in baseball and in America.  The geographic numbers don’t lie.

Baseball hasn’t necessarily done anything wrong here, but they are where they are.  Cultures change, that’s what they do.  The more open minded powerful cultures and structures are to change, the better they deal with change and remain intact.  Baseball has pretty much lost Black America, but has not felt too much pain. Why?  The white, baby boomer population is large, and baseball has been blessed with an infusion of Latino talent.  Baseball would be wise not to take the Latino player and fan base for granted, repeating past mistakes.

Baseball could better honor Latin America’s baseball past.  Maybe they should consider having much more consistent Latino throw back nights, like the one’s held for the Negro Leagues. All of the Negro League players in the Hall of Fame also played in Latin America, perhaps they could be fused.  Maybe there should be Spanish PA announcers.   Perhaps a Latino Commissioner or VP?

Maybe it is time to consider a 3rd League.  What if there were teams in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, The DR, and Mexico sharing a league with the teams in Florida?  Hey, Cuba may come around.  Make this a real World Series sport, and play all of these terrible weather “Spring” games in warm cities.

Look, I don’t even know if these are good ideas.  I don’t know exactly what things baseball needs to do to embrace the Latino culture and younger generations better.  That said, I do know what they should stop doing.  They should stop acting like it’s 1980, and have an open mind.

They can start by ditching  the old school, unwritten rules that say on field celebration is wrong.  Stop stubbornly acting in ways that the rest of intelligent society has stopped.  That means being ok with celebration over violence.  That would  appeal to young people of every color.  Appealing to young people is wise, because old people die. It’s also going to allow for a deep, necessary change of culture.

The KC Royals are made up of young guys.  Some are white, some are Latino, and two are black.  They played baseball last Fall with youthful exuberance and enthusiasm.  They ignored  the league’s long standing, stoic, unwritten rules.  It was a blast.  America loved it!  Have you seen clips of games in Latin America?  You should check out the opening day games I  just saw in Chicago’s Humboldt Park.  Music, dancing, flags, whistles, and baseball.  I wanted to play so bad.  Looks pretty fun.  Baseball is for fun.  Bring on a new brand of baseball.

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This year, the Royals are paying the price for their new brand of baseball.  That is fine.  That always happens to any progressive change agent.  It’s no coincidence they have had their dust ups with teams that were victimized by their new brand of ball last year.  Maybe it’s also no coincidence that the angriest players from the Royals team have been Latino.

Maybe those players are not just fed up with seeing their teammates wear baseballs and take spikes.  Maybe they are reacting to something bigger. Maybe the umpires “in charge” of the Royals vs A’s series were poorly reacting to something bigger.  Maybe how MLB divided up the suspensions for the WHITE Sox players and Royals players was impacted by something bigger.

I am not saying baseball is overtly racist.  I don’t think umpires consciously make calls based on race.  I don’t think the Royals have been beaned by any pitchers because of race.

I am saying that big change is here. I think some Royals players, and their opponents, are reacting to this cultural change.  I also think the KC Royals could end up being a face for this generational and culture change, if they ditch all of the unwritten rules.

Now wouldn’t that be Royal?

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